The best pieces in this collection of 13 short stories, compiled from Dahl's early anthologies for adults, showcase Dahl's twisted wit and penchant for irony. Very few of the tales here have intrinsic YA appeal, but name recognition will surely attract some teenage readers, particularly those who regularly read adult books. The stories with the biggest pull are the gruesome ones: a man makes minor bets that may win him an opponent's finger; a young man checks into a bed-and-breakfast run by a woman whose not-so-harmless hobby is taxidermy; and a father tries to fatten his sickly infant with large doses of royal jelly from his beehives. The other selections range from wry to sentimental to amusing and are occasionally spiced with sweet revenge. Because there's no unifying theme, this will be tough to booktalk, but several of the stories will make excellent read-alouds. (Reviewed May 15, 1998)

Culled from his adult fiction collections, Dahl's tales range from the tragic wartime story "Katina," to droll, unsettling mini-dramas about a sadistic wager and a beekeeper's attempts to fatten up his underweight infant. Some teenagers may appreciate the subtle humor and ironic endings, but many may find the subject matter--which is often of more interest to adults--outside their realm of interest.

A baker's dozen of barbed, witty, obliquely macabre short stories, most drawn from—or at least previously published in—Tales of the Unexpected (1979, 1990). Additionally, there is a heart-rending wartime story of a young Greek orphan adopted by a beleaguered RAF squadron, a hilarious tale of two airheads who decide to make a fortune from grateful socialites by punching a gossip columnist in the nose, and "The Great Automatic Grammatizator," a period piece about a primitive computer that whips out hugely profitable novels and stories in minutes. Nearly every story ends with a twist: a scam revealed or going wrong; a sinister revelation; or, as in the final entry, "Neck," a sudden conclusion that derails carefully established expectations. Several stories show their age in dated details, or are slow to develop, and younger fans may find many of the conversations as tedious as the lengthy, satirically exact speeches about bees, wine, and antique furniture. Still, this sampler of Dahl's writing at least conveys a sense of his versatility. (Short stories. 13+)

As even Dahl's youngest admirers know, the late master writer can slice through the foibles and flaws of human nature with not just uncommon precision but with gleefully wicked, sometimes macabre humor as well. The 13 tales here, all of which previously appeared in collections for adult readers, show Dahl at his merciless best. There is a greedy, adulterous wife who gets a deftly delivered comeuppance; a sly butler who convinces his social-climbing employer to buy only the rarest of wines--which he then secretly consumes with the chef while serving his master a """"cheap and rather odious Spanish red""""; and a shady fellow who more than meets his match when, in his customary disguise as a parson, he attempts to bilk a poor farmer out of a near-priceless antique. """"Katina,"""" the volume's chilling, exquisitely crafted centerpiece, ends with the senseless death of a golden-haired orphan who had been befriended by kind members of a fighter squadron stationed in Greece during WWII. The tragic thrust of this tale may hit readers hard. While some adults may deem the characters' martini-mixing, wine-sipping, philandering and marital infidelities inappropriate for those on the younger edge of the target audience, this exceptional compendium will thrill anyone in the mood for Dahl's fabled blade-sharp wit. Ages 12-up. (May)

Gr 7 Up-Readers who were turned on to chapter books with the magic of Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970) and the wondrous James and the Giant Peach (1961, both Knopf) will be interested to discover that Dahl began his writing career composing adult short stories--macabre, ironic tales that were translated into scripts for a popular TV series. This collection, based on those tales, is perfect for teen sensibilities. These poisonous gems reflect a British black humor sniping at greedy, pretentious folk. The language is precise, without an extraneous adjective; "The Landlady" is indeed "terribly nice" and Lady Turton of "Neck" prances and snorts like a barely restrained high-strung filly. Teachers looking for examples of irony need look no further than "Parson's Pleasure," in which an overeager antique collector gets exactly what he asks for. Feminists may be a bit offended; Dahl's antipathy for the female sex is rather evident throughout the stories. Wife and family are often an encumbrance in his world. "Royal Jelly" stars a father who is overinvolved in the caring for and feeding of his new offspring; it is a delicious morsel to serve to grown up "Goosebumps" fans. This baker's dozen is a treat for all YA collections.-Marilyn Payne Phillips, University City Public Library, MO